Song Lyric Sunday – Games People Play

When I saw this week’s Song Lyric Sunday theme, “game,” a song popped into my head immediately.

“Games People Play” is a song that was written and performed by Joe South in 1968. I like how Wikipedia describes it – “”Games People Play” is a protest song whose lyrics speak against various forms of irresponsibility, hatred, hypocrisy, inhumanity, and intolerance in both interpersonal and social interactions between people.” I believe it is just as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.

The song won two Grammies in 1968 for Best Contemporary Song and Song of the Year. There have been many covers but the original remains a classic.

As always thanks to Helen from “This Thing Called Life One Word At A Time” for a great theme. Be sure to check out her page for other submissions as well.

Lydia!

Games People Play

La-da da da da da da da
La-da da da da da da dee
La-da da da da da
La-da da da da da

Whoa the games people play now
Every night and every day now
Never meaning what they say now
Never saying what they mean

And they wile away the hours
In their ivory towers
Till they’re covered up with flowers
In the back of a black limousine

Whoa…ah

[Chorus:]
La-da da da da da da da
La-da da da da da dee
Talking ’bout you and me
And the games people play – now

Whoa we make one another cry
Break a heart then we say goodbye
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
That the other was to blame

Whoa…ah

But neither one will ever give in
So we gaze at our eight by ten
Thinking ’bout the things that might have been
And it’s a dirty rotten shame

Whoa…ah

[Chorus]
Oh Yeah, ooh-mmm…, oh yeah, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh…

Lookie here:
People walking up to you
Singing glory halleluiah – ha ha
And they try and to sock it to you
In the name of the Lord

They’re gonna teach you how to meditate
Read your horoscope, cheat your fate
And further more to hell with hate
Come on and get on board

Whoa…ah

[Chorus]

Now wait a minute…
Look around tell me what you see
What’s happening to you and me
God grant me the serenity
To just remember who I am

Whoa…ah

Cause you’ve given up your sanity
For your pride and your vanity
Turn you back on humanity
Oh!…,and you don’t give a da da da da da da da

[Chorus fades]